Bowling Glove Having Removable Cleaning Pad

ABSTRACT

Described is a bowling glove to be worn on a bowler&#39;s supporting hand having a removable cleaning surface that can be used to clean a bowling ball. The bowling glove includes a hand receiving section having an opening through which a user may insert his or her hand. The palm portion of the glove comprises a removable cleaning pad thereon that is washable and reusable and that is preferably composed of microfiber. The hand receiving section may include individual finger compartments having cut-outs thereon so that the user&#39;s fingers extend outward from the glove. Additionally, a removable mitt may be provided that can enclose each of the user&#39;s fingers if so desired. Alternatively, the hand receiving section may include a mitt that encloses each of the user&#39;s fingers therein. The glove may further include webbing disposed between the fingers to provide additional surfaces for cleaning a bowling ball.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/828,965 filed on May 30, 2013, entitled “Hand Bowlers Ball Towel.” The above identified patent application is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety to provide continuity of disclosure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a bowling glove. More specifically, the present invention provides a bowling glove having a removable cleaning pad positioned on the palm thereof. The bowling glove is adapted to be worn on the hand of the bowler that is not used to hold the bowling ball. In this way, the bowler can hold a bowling ball in his or her bowling hand, and can wear the bowling glove of the present invention on his or her supporting hand, and can wipe the surface of the bowling ball to remove oil and debris therefrom.

Bowlers commonly wipe off their bowling ball prior to rolling the ball on each turn. Oil and debris may accumulate on the surface of the bowling ball as the result of rolling the ball down the bowling lane. Bowling lanes are coated with oil to provide a low-friction surface on which the bowling ball can roll. As the oil accumulates on the surface of the bowling ball, the bowling ball may become excessively slippery, which may negatively affect the bowler's performance.

Further, a bowling ball may accumulate debris on the surface thereof. The bowling ball accumulates debris on the bowling lane or as it is being returned by the ball return machine. Any debris on the surface of the bowling ball may affect the ball as it is rolled down the bowling lane. Thus, the bowling ball may roll down the bowling lane in an unanticipated manner as the result of debris on the surface of the bowling ball. This prevents the bowler from consistently executing a proper roll, and small deviations in the path of the bowling ball can significantly impact the bowler's performance.

As a result, bowlers often use a hand towel to wipe off their bowling ball. However, constantly reaching for a hand towel can be inconvenient for the bowler. Further, some bowlers store the hand towel in their bowling bag, and retrieving the towel therefrom may also be inconvenient for the bowler. Therefore, many bowlers fail to wipe their bowling ball between frames due to the inconvenience of locating and using a hand towel for cleaning the bowling ball.

Thus, the present invention provides a bowling glove with a removable cleaning pad that can be worn on the bowler's non-bowling hand. In this way, a right handed bowler can hold the bowling ball in his right hand in the conventional fashion, and can wipe the surface of the ball so as to remove oil and debris therefrom using the bowling glove disposed on the bowler's left hand. The bowling glove comprises a hand receiving section and a thumb compartment into which a user may insert his or her hand through an opening on a wrist section of the bowling glove. The palm side of the glove comprises a removable cleaning pad thereon that can be secured thereto by adhesives or hook and loop fastening material. The hand receiving section can comprise a mitt or individual finger compartments. Further, the finger compartments can include openings thereon so that the user's fingers can extend out of the finger compartments.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Devices have been disclosed in the prior art that relate to cleaning gloves. These include devices that have been patented and published in patent application publications. These devices generally relate to mitts with cleaning surfaces thereon. The following is a list of devices deemed most relevant to the present disclosure, which are herein described for the purposes of highlighting and differentiating the unique aspects of the present invention, and further highlighting the drawbacks existing in the prior art.

One such device is U.S. Patent Application Publication 2012/0090121 to Phillips, Sr. et al., which discloses a bowling ball cleaning glove. The cleaning glove comprises cut-outs so that the user's fingers can extend out of the glove. A cleaning pad comprising a microfiber cloth is positioned on the palm of the glove. In some embodiments of the present invention, the cleaning surface is removably attached to the glove via hook and loop fastening material. Thus, Phillips, Sr. does not disclose a bowling glove comprising a mitt that encloses the bowler's fingers. Further, Phillips, Sr. does not disclose a bowling glove with webbing disposed between the fingers of the glove.

U.S. Patent Application Publication Number 2006/0191092 to O'Reilly et al. discloses a mitt having microfiber loop chiffons sewn into a base. The mitt provides microfiber loops for use in cleaning a surface in order to accumulate a large quantity of dirt and dust. Thus, O'Reilly does not disclose a bowling glove for use in cleaning the surface of a bowling ball. O'Reilly discloses a mitt having microfibers permanently sewn onto substantially the entire mitt, whereas the present invention includes a removable cleaning pad positioned on the palm of the glove.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,560,813 to Brown et al. discloses a mitt to be worn on a user's hand for cleaning. The mitt can be worn on either the left or right hand and includes a thumb compartment on each side of the palm and finger section of the glove. Thus, Brown et al. discloses a glove for cleaning, but does not disclose a glove specifically constructed for use by a bowler to clean a bowling ball. Brown et al. does not describe a glove having a removable cleaning pad, nor does Brown et al. disclose a glove having webbing between the fingers of the glove.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,251,839 to Bell discloses a cleaning mitt composed of microfiber material having a hand-receiving section, a thumb-receiving section, and an index receiving section. The mitt may have elastic around the opening thereof so as to better fit around a user's wrist. Thus, Bell fails to disclose a bowling glove having a removable cleaning pad disposed on the palm thereof. Further, Bell does not disclose a glove having individual finger compartments having cut-outs thereon to allow the user's fingers to extend out of the glove.

Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 2,391,851 to Willard describes a bowling glove which covers the second and third fingers of a bowler's hand. Thus, the other fingers on the user's hand are left exposed. The glove also reduces the covering on the back of the hand to allow the bowler to have a free grip and provide a bare hand feel. Thus, Willard discloses a glove to be worn by a bowler in order to hold and throw a bowling ball. The device in Willard is not adapted to clean a bowling ball to remove oil and debris thereon.

These prior art devices have several known drawbacks. Several devices in the prior art disclose cleaning mitts or gloves wherein substantially all of the glove is used for cleaning. Further, such devices do not include a removable cleaning pad. Thus, the prior art gloves must be disposed of when the cleaning pad becomes dirty or soiled. Several devices in the prior art disclose mitts and fail to disclose a glove having separated finger compartments with cut-outs thereon that allow a user's fingers to extend out of the glove.

In light of the devices disclosed in the prior art, it is submitted that the present invention substantially diverges in design elements from the prior art and consequently it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to existing bowling ball cleaning gloves. In this regard the instant invention substantially fulfills these needs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of bowling gloves now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new bowling glove wherein the same can be utilized for providing convenience for the user when cleaning a bowling ball between frames of a game of bowling.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved bowling glove device that has all of the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a bowling glove having a cleaning pad adapted to allow a user to easily clean a bowling ball.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a bowling glove having a removable cleaning pad that can be washed and reused when dirty or soiled.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a bowling glove having separated finger compartments with cut-outs thereon such that the user's fingers can extend out of the glove.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a bowling glove comprising a mitt that substantially encloses the user's fingers therein.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a bowling glove having webbing between the fingers thereof so as to provide additional cleaning surfaces.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a bowling glove that may be readily fabricated from materials that permit relative economy and are commensurate with durability.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

Although the characteristic features of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and manner in which it may be made and used may be better understood after a review of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like numeral annotations are provided throughout.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the front and back of an embodiment of the present invention having a mitt.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the front and back of another embodiment of the present invention having individual finger compartments.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the front and back of an alternative embodiment of the present invention having a removable mitt.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similar elements of the bowling glove. For the purposes of presenting a brief and clear description of the present invention, the preferred embodiment will be discussed as used for cleaning a bowling ball. The figures are intended for representative purposes only and should not be considered to be limiting in any respect.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a perspective view of the front and back of an embodiment of the present invention having a mitt. The bowling glove 11 comprises a hand receiving section 16 and a thumb compartment 15. The hand receiving section 16 in the illustrated embodiment comprises a mitt adapted to fully enclose each of the user's fingers within a single compartment. The bowling glove 11 further includes a palm side 13 and a back side 12. The bowling glove 11 is composed of any suitable material, including but not limited to, rubber, cloth, knitted wool, or leather.

The bowling glove 11 includes a wrist section 17 having an opening that provides access to the interior of the bowling glove 11, and through which a user can insert his or her hand into the hand receiving section 16 and thumb compartment 15 of the bowling glove 11. The opening on the wrist section 17 may include an elastic band or other stretchable material therearound in order to provide a snug fit on the user's wrist. Alternatively, the bowling glove 11 may include an adjustable wrist section 17 wherein a flap that can be overlapped with and secured to the wrist section 17 of the bowling glove 11. The flap can be secured using hook and loop fastening material, buttons, snaps, or other suitable fastening means.

The palm side 13 of the glove comprises a removable cleaning pad 14 thereon. The cleaning pad 14 is preferably composed of a microfiber material and is absorbent so as to remove liquid or oil disposed on a bowling ball. The cleaning pad 14 substantially covers the palm portion of the bowling glove 11. The cleaning pad 14 may have any of a variety of shapes, such as an elliptical or rectangular shape. Further, the cleaning pad 14 extends from the portion of the bowling glove 11 corresponding to the user's palm towards the portion of the bowling glove 11 corresponding to the user's fingertips. In this way, the bowling glove 11 provides a large surface area on the bowler's hand with which the bowler can clean a bowling ball.

The cleaning pad 14 can be removably secured to the palm side 13 of the bowling glove 11 using hook and loop fastening material or using an adhesive. The back side of the cleaning pad 14 may have an adhesive thereon, and the adhesive may be covered by a removable backing that protects the adhesive until the cleaning pad 14 is desired to be used. Alternatively, the back surface of the cleaning pad 14 may have hook and loop fastening material thereon that engages with hook and loop fastening material disposed on the palm side 13 of the bowling glove 11. The cleaning pad 14 can be removed after the cleaning pad 14 has been used and has become dirty or soiled. The cleaning pad 14 can be washed and reused so that the same cleaning pad 14 can be used for an extended period of time. Alternatively, the bowler can dispose of the original cleaning pad 14 and attach a new cleaning pad 14 as desired.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the back side 12 of the bowling glove 11 comprises a decorative appearance. The back side 12 may include a team name, logo, or symbol, among other designs thereon. The design may be imprinted onto the bowling glove 11 itself. Alternatively, a decorative patch may be removably secured to the back side 12 of the bowling glove 11, by means of hook and loop fastening material disposed on a surface of the decorative patch and on the back side of the glove 11 so that a user can interchange the decorative patches as desired. For example, a user may be a member of several bowling teams, and may wish to interchange the decorative patches depending on the team for which the user is currently playing.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a perspective view of the front and back of another embodiment of the present invention having individual finger compartments. The bowling glove 21 comprises a hand receiving section and a separate thumb compartment 25. A user can insert his or her hand into the hand receiving section through an opening on the wrist section 27 of the bowling glove 21. The bowling glove 21 comprises a palm side on which a cleaning pad 24 is disposed. The bowling glove 21 comprises a back side 22 corresponding to the back of the user's hand.

The hand receiving section of the bowling glove 21 comprises separate finger compartments 26 through which a user may position each of his or her fingers. The finger compartments 26 comprise openings thereon that allow a user's fingers to extend out of the bowling glove 21 such that they are exposed. Similarly, the thumb compartment 25 includes an opening on the end thereof such that a portion of the user's thumb can extend out of the thumb compartment 25. In this way, the user can grasp a bowling ball and other items using his or her fingertips. The finger compartments 26 are connected by webbing 28. The webbing 28 serves as an additional surface for cleaning a bowling ball.

The palm side of the bowling glove comprises a removable cleaning pad 24 thereon. The cleaning pad 24 may be shaped so as to substantially cover the palm side of the bowling glove 21. In this way, the entire palm side of the bowling glove 21 can be used to clean a bowling ball. Thus, the cleaning pad 24 is substantially similar to the cleaning pad as shown in the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 1. The cleaning pad 24 is preferably composed of a microfiber material and can be secured to the palm side of the bowling glove 11 using adhesives or hook and loop fastening material.

Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown a perspective view of the front and back of an alternative embodiment of the present invention having a removable mitt. The bowling glove 31 comprises a hand receiving section having individual finger compartments 36 and a thumb compartment 35. The user can insert his or her hand into the hand receiving compartment through an opening on the wrist section 37 of the bowling glove 31. The thumb compartment 35 and the finger compartments 36 comprise openings on the ends thereof such that the user's thumbs and fingers can extend out of the bowling glove 31. This allows the user to hold a bowling ball or other items with the user's fingertips.

The palm side of the bowling glove 31 comprises a removable cleaning pad 34 thereon, similar to the cleaning pads of the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. The cleaning pad 34 substantially covers the palm side of the bowling glove 31, and can be secured thereto by adhesives or by hook and loop fastening material. In this way, the cleaning pad 34 can be removed and replaced as desired by the user.

The illustrated embodiment further includes a removable mitt 38. The mitt 38 comprises a pocket that is adapted to be positioned over the user's four fingers so as to enclose the user's fingers therein. Alternatively, the mitt 38 can be removed from the user's fingers so as to expose the same. The mitt 38 may be attached to the back side 32 of the glove by means of a fastener such as a line of stitching or by one or more buttons or snaps. In this way, the mitt 38 is secured to the bowling glove 31 and can pivot about the fastener into a desired configuration.

It is therefore submitted that the instant invention has been shown and described in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention. 

I claim: 1) A bowling glove having a removable cleaning pad, comprising: a glove having a hand receiving section, a thumb compartment, and a wrist section having an opening through which a user may insert his or her hand into said hand receiving section and said thumb compartment; wherein said glove comprises a palm side and a back side; a cleaning pad that can be removably secured to said palm side of said glove. 2) The bowling glove of claim 1, wherein said wrist section comprises a stretchable material. 3) The bowling glove of claim 1, wherein said hand receiving section comprises a mitt having a single compartment in which a user may position his or her fingers. 4) The bowling glove of claim 1, wherein said hand receiving section comprises individual compartments for each of a user's fingers. 5) The bowling glove of claim 4, wherein webbing is disposed between said individual compartments. 6) The bowling glove of claim 4, wherein said individual compartments comprise openings thereon such that a user's fingers may extend out of said individual compartments. 7) The bowling glove of claim 4, wherein said thumb compartment includes an opening thereon such that a user's thumb can extend outward from said thumb compartment. 8) The bowling glove of claim 4, wherein said glove further comprises a mitt pivotally fastened to said back side of said glove such that said mitt is adapted to be positioned so as to enclose a user's fingers. 9) The bowling glove of claim 8, wherein said mitt is pivotally fastened to said back side of said glove by a line of stitching that secures an end of said mitt to said back side of said glove. 10) The bowling glove of claim 1, wherein said cleaning pad is composed of a microfiber material. 11) The bowling glove of claim 1, wherein said cleaning pad comprises an adhesive backing. 12) The bowling glove of claim 1, wherein said cleaning pad comprises hook and loop fastening material adapted to engage with hook and loop fastening material disposed on said palm side of said glove. 13) The bowling glove of claim 1, wherein said back side of said glove comprises a decorative design thereon. 14) The bowling glove of claim 1, wherein said removable cleaning pad substantially covers said palm side of said glove. 